Automobile floor-board fastener



Aug-31,1926. I 1,597,735 F. B. swARTwouT AUTOMOBILE FLOOR BOARD FASTENER Original Filed Oct. 2, 1924 Patented Aug. 31, 1926.

UNITED STATEfi PATENT QFFECEG FRANK B. SW'ARTWOUT, OF HUGUE'N'OT, NEW/V YORK.

AUTOMOBILE FLOGR-BOARD FASTENER.

Application filed October 2, 19554, Serial No. 741,272. Renewed July 8, 1926 This invention relates to improvements in automobile floor board fasteners and its principal object is to provide a fastener which will not rattle and which may be oper ated with facility to provide for the removal or replacement of the floor board.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated. in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a central vertical sectional View, the fastener being shown as engaged in order to secure the floor board.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view.

Figures 3 and 4 are detail sectional views on the lines 38 and 4 4t of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

The floor board is indicated at B and is supported in the usual manner by a frame within which said board fits, the supporting bars of said frame, one of which is shown at F, being suitably rabbeted to provide support for the floor board. The co operating elements of the fastener are a movable latch 1 and a stationary finger 2 which the latch normally engages from below. The finger 2 is secured to the bar F and said bar is formed with a vertical recess f below said finger which provides a clearance for the vertical movements of the latch as will be hereafter explained.

The movable elements of the fastener are carried by a plate 3 which is secured against the under face of the floor board by screws 4. The floor board is formed between its upper and under faces with an opening 5 in which is fitted a helical spring 6 which is both a torsion and compression spring. The plate 3 extends across the opening 5 and one end of the spring 6 is secured to said plate as indicated at 7 The upper convolution of the spring 6 is joined by a radially extending part 8 to a central vertical shank 9 which passes loosely through an opening 10 in the plate 3 and also passes through an opening in the latch 1. Below the latch 1 the shank 9 is formed with a lateral extension 11, the end of which is secured as at 12 to said latch.

The spring 6, acting expansively, holds the latch 1 against the finger 2 and acting torsionally tends to move the latch with reference to the shank 9 as a pivotal axis out of engagement with said finger, the pivotal movement of the latch being counterclockwise, the present drawing being considered. The plate 3 is provided with means for normally preventing the pivotal movement of the latch 1, thereby to maintain engagement of said latch under the finger 2 and with means for limiting such pivotal movement. For these purposes an arcuate tongue of angular cross section and suit able extent is preferably struck from said plate, said tongue having a vertical part 13 and a horizontal part 14, and the latter being formed at its end normally remote from the latch 1 with a down-turned lug 15. The latch 1 is normally held by the spring (3 against the finger 2 which it engages from below and is normally prevented from pivotal movement by its engagement against the adjacent end of the part 13. l/Vhen it is desired to remove the floor board pressure is applied to the upper end of the spring 6 by any suitable implement so as to compress said spring and effect a downward axial movement of the shank 9 in consequence of which the latch 1 is lowered to a point below the part 14, at which time, being no longer engaged by the part 13, itis moved pivotally, under the trosional action of the spring 6, along the under face of the part 14 until its movement is arrested by the lug 15.

When it is desired to replace the floor board the compressed spring 6 is manipulated torsionally by any suitable instrument so as to turn the shank 9 about its axis and thereby move the latch 1 along the part 14 to a position beyond said part, at which time the spring 6, acting expansively, raises the shank 9, thereby lifting the latch into engagement with the finger 2 and in line with the normal obstruction to its pivotal movement presented by the part 13.

It will of course be understood that the floor board may be equipped with such number of fasteners as may be necessary to its secure retention in normal position and that each fastener is operated in the manner above described. It will also be understood that the openings 5 may be provided with suitable covers or dust guards, the illustration of which is not deemed necessary.

Having fully described my invention, I claim:

1. In an automobile floor board fastener, in combination, a stationary finger, a pivotally movable latch normally engaging said finger from below, spring means accessible above said latch and acting to hold the same engaged with said finger and to move the latch pivotally beyond. the finger, and means providing a normal obstruction to the pivotal movement ofthe latch, the latch being depressible to a position below said obstruction in order to provide for its pivotal movement by said spring means. a

2. In an automobile floorboard fastener, in combination, a stationary finger, apivot ally movable latch normally engaging said finger from below, a helical spring arranged above. said latch and acting 'torsionally and expansively, said spring having a central vertical shank connected to said latch to effect pivotal movement thereof and also to hold the latch against said finger, and means providing a n'ormal obstruction to the pivotal movement of the latch, the spring being compressible whereby to move the latch to a point below said obstruction in order toprovide for the pivotal movement of the latch. 3. In an automobile floor board fastener, in combination, a stationary finger, a pivotally movable latch normally engaging said finger from below, spring means accessible above said latch and acting to hold the same engaged With said finger and to move the latch pivotally beyond Zthe finger, and a stationary plate mounted above the latch and formed with an angular tongue having avertical part and a horizontal part, the latch normally engaging the'vertical part and being thereby held against pivotal movement and the horizontal part having a and formed with an angular tongue having a vertical part and a horizontal part, the latch normally engaging the vertical part and being thereby held against pivotal movement and the horizontal part having a downtur'ned lug at its end remote from the latch and which limits the pivotal move ment of the late v v I s V In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

I FRANK B. s'WARTWoUT. 

